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Athor
"The brilliance of all the heavens, formed into blinding flesh, in order to guide us into Utopia. He is the scalding wanderer, forever traveling to singe the sins from your souls. Show no hesitation as you peer into his glory above, and let him burn away your greedy, sinful visions. We will lead you through the darkness..." Appearance Athor appears as a roughly 7 foot tall humanoid, with all of his features obscured by clothing. He wears a pristine, loose desert robe that ends just above his feet. His head, and all other exposed features, are tightly wrapped in magical, sand-colored, cloth bandages that trail off behind him, whipping in the baking wind as he walks. His smoldering, fiery eyes peak from behind two small apertures in the cloth, though no lesser creature can safely look into them. Athor remains obscured by his magical wrappings for two reasons. The first is to dissuade any followers into falsely believing he is made in their image, for Athor serves all creatures equally. The other is to contain the immense heat he radiates, preventing the incineration of those he visits. Athor's true appearance is unknown to all except Elonna. Ideals Foremost, Athor is an advocate of community, mercy. Racial and socio-economic boundaries are of irrelevance - to live together in peace is to live properly. Charity is the greatest gift his followers can give, and materialism the most grave sin. These two notions perfectly encapsulate Athor's ideal existence, which is displayed in his surprisingly harsh realm Utopia, and are followed the most closely by the nomadic peoples of Asheratius. The unyielding desolation of the desert serves as the ultimate test of community. In such places, the group must be put ahead of the individual, and the ever shifting mountainous dunes renders materialism a burden. These dogmas are not nearly as severe as Vahennia's or Arduth's however, as Athor views individuality as an equally important facet of the community. Followers are expected to branch out from their collectives in order to uncover their own expertises, and to foster likewise communities elsewhere. Urban areas, such as Andoura, also somewhat contradict Athor's teaching. Though he looks down upon such areas, he accepts that peace can still foster there. When it comes to combating evils, Athor expects malefactors to be treated with mercy. His definition of mercy however, could be considered a fate worse than death in many circumstances. Regardless, Athor fully understands that compassion cannot solve all altercations, and openly permits force when necessary. Personality Despite his intimidating appearance and ideals, Athor is an extremely patient and caring deity. He devotes a large portion of his godly powers to briefly visiting The Material in order to appear to his most devoted, bestowing personal blessings and wisdoms upon them. Individuals who have met him in and out of his home compares his demeanor to that of a kind grandparent. His words are spoken very slowly, deliberately and briefly, but they carry the wisdom of a lifetime with them. As expected, Athor favors smaller and more primitive societies that maintain stronger roots to their naturalistic homes. His closest advocates would likely be found in a small untouched region, ignorant of the empires of the world. Popularity Amongst Noble and Sovereign races, Athor is easily the most widely revered god. His penchant for generosity and shining valorous nights make him a favorite amongst the common peoples. Symbolisms Within Andoura, Athor's holy symbol is a simple depiction of a star - a circle surrounded by thick swirling prominences. Reverence to Athor is always done beneath the open sky, and no external religious tools are needed. For night-time reference, grand bonfires are lit instead. Clerics following Athor dress in a similar way to him. White robes with brownish to sandy undertones are commonly worm. Sand is also highly utilized, as a sort of holy material, and many glass creations are commonly found in his temples. Quotes and Sayings Utopia